Schools to take plastic waste ideas to Westminster

Pupils from schools across England will present ideas on reducing plastic waste to politicians, scientists, and industry representatives at an event in Westminster next month to mark European Green Week.

Hosted by the waste education community interest company Wastebuster, the 2014 Primary Earth Summit sees schoolchildren aged 10-12 years old develop ideas to solve issues around plastic waste including improving collections, education and product design.

Their ideas will be presented in the Houses of Parliament on June 16, where attendees will also hear from speakers including Conservative MP Zac Goldsmith and European Environment commissioner Janez Potočnik.

The best ideas will be taken forward and developed by the event partner Bayer MaterialScience and will be promoted nationally to schools across England.

According to the organisers the summit is aimed at increasing knowledge and awareness of the role of plastics in a sustainable society, the waste hierarchy, the principles of waste minimisation and how practical action can help reduce the negative impacts of plastics on the environment.

Schoolchildren will be developing ideas around one of four categories including:

Education and Awareness

Collection system improvement

Marine environment

Product design and innovation

An independent judging panel made up of politicians, scientists, voluntary organisations, media and industry is to select the 20 most compelling schools presentations on solutions to plastic waste pollution, to be presented in the Houses of Parliament to the Summit panel.

Students and teachers from the winning schools will be invited to a training event for a day of workshops with inspirational speakers, leadership trainers, public speaking coaches, scientists, educationalists and conservationists – ahead of the event on June 16.

Primary Earth Summit 2014 is being held as a satellite event to the European Green Week which runs from June 3-5 at The Egg Conference Centre in Brussels.

The theme for this year’s conference is Circular Economy, Resource Efficiency and Waste, with a particular focus on the contribution the waste management sector can make in helping the EU use its resources more efficiently.